Creative structures in Childcare
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This document provides a record of a classroom activity where children built "spaghetti towers" using play dough, spaghetti, and various other materials. The activity aimed to allow children to use their fine motor skills and be creative while having fun. Materials were laid out and pictures documented each step, showing children embedding spaghetti in play dough and adding items like pasta, beads, and cheerios. The activity was designed for ages 2+ and could be adapted for indoor or outdoor use. It incorporated skills like counting, shape and color identification, and problem-solving. The record writer found the activity was enjoyed by both the children and their peers.
Creative structures in Childcare
- 1. Approaches to Childhood learning – Class activity Record Sheet After every class Activity write into the record sheet. Add photos throughout the record. 15 records min required for portfolio. Add lots of images to illustrate your understanding. Name: A C Date: 4th November 2014 Week number: Attended: Yes Name and image of the Activity: Spaghetti Towers Materials used: Spaghetti, play dough, penne pasta, straws, foam shapes, coloured beads, cheerio’s, scissors. Time plan: I had planned for my activity to last 20-30 minutes and it took approximately 25 minutes. Room and/or equipment requirements: Adequate space on tables, scissors. General Aim of activity – What will the final outcome be? ie. ‘To make an aeroplane with cardboard’ box. My aim for this activity was to complete a fun filled task that children would enjoy using mainly play dough and spaghetti. Specific Learning outcomes of the activity – What will be learned by doing the activity? Ie. ‘To use fine motor skills using the scissors’ Children can make any type of spaghetti tower they want and use whichever objects to build it. They would use their fine motor skills when cutting the straws to help build the tower. They can be as creative and imaginative as they wish and every decision can be made completely by themselves. As the spaghetti would be very easy to break they would need to have good concentration when putting the spaghetti into the play dough. It is a very fun activity in which interaction and learning is can be brought in.
- 2. Steps for making or doing activity: Use images with short captions
- 3. Picture one: Materials all gathered together and set out on table to be chosen from. Picture two: Play dough made into whatever shape they wanted, spaghetti added at different heights and materials being added onto spaghetti. Picture three: Another example of the spaghetti in the play dough with pasta, cheerio’s, foam shapes and beads after being added. Picture four: A slightly different approach was taken here. Only small bits of spaghetti were used around the edges and a straw was used in the centre with spaghetti in through the straw so the spaghetti wouldn’t break. Picture five: Similar to the last picture this person used small bits of spaghetti and 2 long straws for effect. She also changed the play dough to a rounded shape rather than flat. Picture six: Previous to picture three this picture is the completion of three. Here we see all different heights of spaghetti used along with straws cut up to add more effect. Also used was pasta, foam shapes beads and cheerio’s. Picture seven: Again this is the completion of picture four. How will the child/ren benefit from the activity? Children can benefit from this activity by learning gross and fine motor skills. It is also in some way challenging for children as they have to make sure the spaghetti doesn’t break if they want to make big towers. It is a very safe activity and the children can be as creative as they wish. It can also benefit their communication skills as if one child is finding the activity hard they can interact with their teacher and peers for some help. Age group/s: (development level) This activity would be suitable for ages 2+. How would you make the activity more inclusive? Principles of universal design This activity could be made more inclusive by getting materials that may suit a younger age group than two. It is an activity that not only could be done in a childcare setting but could also be done at home with parents or older siblings. Children can also learn their colours and shapes as coloured foam shapes was used in the activity. How would you adapt the activity to suit outside/inside? I would adapt this activity to outside by bringing out tables and all the materials used. The children could look at everything around them and maybe think of another idea instead of the spaghetti towers. They could use the same materials but maybe make a tree or another different object. The activity is very suitable for indoors so wouldn’t have to be adapted in anyway. Simplify this activity: The activity is simplified as much as it can be. Variations for the activity: How could you vary the activity? ‘Marbling using foam or egg whites instead’ Instead of bringing in the play dough you could make it yourself with the children. You could let them draw pictures first of what they think spaghetti towers would look like and then do the activity with them. Straws could have been used instead of the spaghetti if you could find objects that would fit over the straws but it would be easier to do if you were able to get the thin straws.
- 4. The Learning outcomes linked to Aistear Exploring and thinking Identity and Belonging Well-being Communicating Eg: Aim 1;4,5,6 Aim 1: 4,5,6 2,3,6 1,2,3 1,3 Aim 2:2,4,6 3,5 1,3,6 2,3,4 Aim 3:2,3,4 4,6 1,2,3,4,5,6 2,3 Aim 4:1,6 3 1,2,3,5,6 4,5,6 Safety concerns? If any: Children may decide to try and eat the spaghetti so should be observed throughout the whole activity. They Should also be observed carefully when using the scissors. Could the activity link to an external activity/group/ outing? ‘Visit to a farm/forest to see/do….’ My activity couldn’t really be linked to any external activity or outing. Extensions for the activity: Could science, geography, history, culture, literacy, maths etc, be incorporated into to the activity? How? What changes would you make? Math could be incorporated into this activity as the children could count the amount of objects they add to each bit of spaghetti. Literacy could be incorporated in a way as the foam shapes would led them to be able to identify the different names of shapes and how to spell them. Interactions with children: talk about…. Talk with your child about what they are doing. This will help them understand the physical and mental processes they are going through as well as giving them the vocabulary to describe it. "Look at how the paint splatters like that" Ask the child why they think play dough is used for this activity. Then you could talk about the different shapes you can make from play dough and different colours used. You could also ask the child why they think you have to be careful with the spaghetti as it could break easily. This will teach them to be careful with different objects. The worker should always give the children an answer about something no matter how imaginative it may be. Problem solving element? Make your child aware of the problem solving involved and ask them questions as needed to help them work out problems themselves, eg. "Why isn't the paint coming out now?", "Is the straw reaching the paint when the bottle is tipped like that?", "How could you fix that?" Children should be able to ask children to help them with any problems in which they may encounter. They could ask the children why they think the spaghetti breaks so easily and ask them could they think of anything that could be used instead of spaghetti. Evaluation of activity: What did think of the activity? Overall I really enjoyed doing this activity. From doing past work placements I never seen this activity being used so I thought it was good to bring in something different and would definitely do it as an activity on placement again or with my little cousins. All of my peers that I completed the task with all said it was different and they really enjoyed it so I was happy with the outcome of my activity.
- 5. Additional information: (images, books, articles, video links, websites etc.) Google Kids art and crafts activities Youtube Summary of your personal learning in points (at least 4) from doing the activity; I learned how to interact with groups better and also teaching skills. I learned that art activities don’t always have to hard and can be made very easy. I achieved better communication styles. This activity brought back lots of memories for me from being in childcare settings and helped me to interact with the activity more.